Mike Fagan,
Editor
May 5, 2022
Green-energy metals explorer Monumental Minerals Corp. (TSX-V: MNRL)(OTC: MNMRF) — currently trading around C$0.45 per share — has announced a 10-fold increase in strike length, from 1 km to 10 km, of prospective mineralization at its flagship, 100%-owned Jemi heavy rare earth element (HREE) project.
The Jemi project, which is one of only a handful of rare earth element projects in North America, is situated in northern Coahuila State, Mexico, approximately 30 miles south of the Texas border.
HREEs, which are heavily controlled by China, are essential to the manufacture of critical defense technologies as well as semiconductors, smartphones, EVs, et al.
The 10-fold increase in strike length at Jemi is a result of MNRL’s recently completed 1,122 line-km airborne electro-magnetic survey. The radiometric image below shows the newly-identified anomalies, which occur along the south and west margin of the Sierra La Vasca intrusion complex and represent a primary area of focus.
View Map
Monumental Minerals CEO Dr. Jamil Sader — whom you’re about to hear from directly, along with founder Max Sali in our exclusive interview — commented via press release:
“Based on the geochemical characteristics of known peralkaline intrusion-related HREE mineralization at Jemi, Monumental was confident that airborne magnetic and radiometric surveys would facilitate rapid target definition and evaluation. The coincidence of mineralization and positive radiometrics shown via ground-truthing during the site visit further demonstrates the 10-fold increase in prospective HREE strike length and validates the Company's cost-effective approach to advancing the Jemi HREE Project.”
Dr. Sader is fresh off a Jemi site visit where ground-truthing activities have confirmed that the newly-interpreted airborne radiometric anomalies are spatially associated with known HREE mineral occurrences. The team is now utilizing that dataset to delineate the first set of high-priority drill targets with drilling expected to commence later this year.
The MNRL team is simultaneously advancing the Salar De Laguna Blanca cesium-lithium brine project, Chile, wherein it can earn-in up to 75% from Lithium Chile Inc. as a joint venture partner.
Max Sali completed a site visit to Laguna Blanca late last month along with representatives from Lithium Chile.
The 5,200-hectare project is situated within the prolific Lithium Triangle, which includes areas of Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia and is estimated to contain more than half of the world’s known lithium supply.
Further bolstering its relationship with the firm, MNRL has appointed Michelle DeCecco, current VP of Lithium Chile, to its board. The company plans to drill Laguna Blanca as well at some point later this year.
The timing of both property advancements is excellent with lithium and rare earth prices rising as a result of powerful demand growth for these “green energy” metals due to their critical applications in the defense, technology, and automobile sectors — particularly EVs.
Over the past year, the spot price for lithium has increased by over 400% with select REEs turning in an equally impressive price performance.
For speculators seeking exposure to the green energy revolution via an early-stage explorer, Monumental Minerals — with its tiny C$12 million market cap — is quickly emerging as one-to-watch in the junior space.
The company is also well-funded, having just completed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of C$5 million.
Our own Gerardo Del Real of Junior Resource Monthly caught up with Monumental Minerals CEO Dr. Jamil Sader and founder Max Sali to go over the recently completed site visits along with next-steps in the advancement of both projects. Enjoy!
Yours in profits,
Mike Fagan
Editor, Resource Stock Digest